Are you paranoid you'll get cancer? page

[Rasputina]

I am. I've lost so many family members and friends to cancer. I feel it's inevitable for me and my husband. We try to remind ourselves daily of how precious our time here is. We are so thankful to have each other, and we try to make sure we spend quality time with our loved ones, some who are currently dying. We focus on laughter, on art, on creative acts. How do you keep hopeful and light in the midst of death?

[Metric]

Many close ones have suffered through or passed away from cancer (family and friends), but no, I don't fear death. It's the inevitable end result of life. You are born and you die, these are two certainties. I would prefer a quick and painless death though instead of one filled with suffering.

[bryanccfshr]

Better to live strong and die young than to be weak and live a long miserable life.

[Wrenwood]

It sounds to me like you already are making a conscientious effort to live with hope and light. Recognizing every day what's most important really helps. I sometimes worry about getting cancer since my husband died of it at 46. (Honestly I don't know if I could or would fight as hard as he did -- but you don't know til you're there.) But it doesn't occupy my mind the way it once did.

Other than the plain fact of losing him, when he died we had no regrets and nothing unsaid to each other. He used to joke that there's nothing like being terminally ill to make you live in the moment! The experience grew me up a lot - I am a kinder, more patient person and I try to extend that to myself too.

Be good to yourself. Be good to others. And recognize that just because things might not work out the way you wanted, you didn't fail. We'll all die someday, that's inevitable. But live the way you mean to while you're here.

[Knifegill]

The probability of cancer being nourished in my body is pretty slim. Almost everything I do and eat is said to be cancer preventing. But I guess we'll see. My Grandpa died of cancer, and my Mom has stomach ulcer issues, so who knows?

[Rasputina]

It sounds to me like you already are making a conscientious effort to live with hope and light. Recognizing every day what's most important really helps. I sometimes worry about getting cancer since my husband died of it at 46. (Honestly I don't know if I could or would fight as hard as he did -- but you don't know til you're there.) But it doesn't occupy my mind the way it once did.

Other than the plain fact of losing him, when he died we had no regrets and nothing unsaid to each other. He used to joke that there's nothing like being terminally ill to make you live in the moment! The experience grew me up a lot - I am a kinder, more patient person and I try to extend that to myself too.

Be good to yourself. Be good to others. And recognize that just because things might not work out the way you wanted, you didn't fail. We'll all die someday, that's inevitable. But live the way you mean to while you're here.

Thank you. My husband lost his father to cancer a year before we were married, and now my stepfather has cancer. My grandfather, who raised me, has lived with cancer for over a decade, but the emphysema will take him soon. my husband and I love each other, SO MUCH. It is unbearable for either of us to lose the other. He's said if I die, so does he. I feel the same- I mean it. It makes our time together so desperately important, we've been together ten years, but there's never enough time.

[Paleobird]

I had breast cancer five years ago. There is nothing like a close brush with death to get you off your ass and making some permanent changes. The oncologist said the best thing I could do to prevent a recurrence was to lose some weight. I went from 210 size 16 to 145 size 6 (at 5'10"). Survival is a much stronger motivator than vanity could ever be. Some people around here have said I am a bit of a hard ass about no cheating and being strict with tracking and counting. I have good reason to be.

A couple of weeks ago I got my five years post cancer check up including mammogram, bone density scan, blood work. Five years is the point where, statistically speaking, the rate of recurrence drops off very steeply. All the scans and tests came back all clear. I am ridiculously healthy (especially for 50) and plan to stay that way until I drop dead one day about 75 years from now.

[Rasputina]

I had breast cancer five years ago. There is nothing like a close brush with death to get you off your ass and making some permanent changes. The oncologist said the best thing I could do to prevent a recurrence was to lose some weight. I went from 210 size 16 to 145 size 6 (at 5'10"). Survival is a much stronger motivator than vanity could ever be. Some people around here have said I am a bit of a hard ass about no cheating and being strict with tracking and counting. I have good reason to be.

A couple of weeks ago I got my five years post cancer check up including mammogram, bone density scan, blood work. Five years is the point where, statistically speaking, the rate of recurrence drops off very steeply. All the scans and tests came back all clear. I am ridiculously healthy (especially for 50) and plan to stay that way until I drop dead one day about 75 years from now.

That's awesome! I've had two cancer scares, one breast, one skin cancer.Both seem to be benign, but I have to have regular screenings. My stepdad has malignant melanoma, which has spread to his lymph nodes, some lymph nodes he's had removed. He isn't doing well, though. My husband still smokes, even though his dad died 11 years ago, from lung cancer. I don't want him to die, I absolutely love him. I am a recovering alcoholic, and several close family members were dying from liver cancer, and one died from cancer , my granddad,the other had massive organ failure and killed himself, my uncle. My other uncle is also dying and tried to kill himself, a few months ago. I do not want to suffer and die, I'm afraid my choices will make that inevitable. I want to live, and I want my family to recover.

[nixxy]

Very sobering thought. You're only 31! You do seem to already be living life to the fullest, as usual it's a balance thing to achieve being aware and being happy and not stressing

I'm young and my relatives are old, but still alive. My parents are both in reasonable health, but overweight. Only recently did one of my grandparents pass away at 80. My other grandparents are 65-85 and in alright health, but two of them have had cancer and have beaten it, for now. My great grandparents all lived to very high ages, some in the 90s.

I guess it does cross my mind though... I'm just forever hopeful I'm healthy enough in general, and will be in the long run, that even if it is cancer that gets me in the end, I'll have lived a long quality life.

[js290]

I am. I've lost so many family members and friends to cancer. I feel it's inevitable for me and my husband. We try to remind ourselves daily of how precious our time here is. We are so thankful to have each other, and we try to make sure we spend quality time with our loved ones, some who are currently dying. We focus on laughter, on art, on creative acts. How do you keep hopeful and light in the midst of death?